The present invention relates to an adaptor assembly for threaded openings of containers for liquids, and, in particular, to an adaptor assembly for use with fuel containers of the type used by the military services for a variety of purposes, such as the storage and refueling of mechanized equipment in the field, which may serve not only as a container closure, but also as both a pouring and pumping adaptor therefor.
For military purposes, large quantities of fuel are typically stored in 55 gallon drums, while smaller quantities of fuel are stored in portable 5 gallon containers of the type commonly known as Jerry Cans. Both of these types of containers utilize the same size, internally threaded, opening which is sealable by a complementarily shaped, externally threaded bung-type closure. Pumps are often utilized to deliver fuel from either of these types of containers to either vehicles or fuel powered machinery, such as electrical generators. Additionally, Jerry Can type containers are also utilized to supply fuel by gravity pouring of the contents of the Jerry Can into the fuel tank of a vehicle or other equipment.
Arrangements for pumping of fuels from containers are known, as are adaptors to facilitate pouring of fuel from Jerry Can type containers. U.S. Pat. No. 2,651,440 discloses a gravity feed type adaptor for Jerry type cans, but this adaptor is not utilizable with drum-type containers which do not have a handle, nor is this adaptor designed for use with both a pour spout and a pumping arrangement. Likewise, a pumping assembly is known from U.S. Pat. No. 3,050,218, which utilizes a pumping cap member that is attached to an external thread of one size that is located on a first end of an adaptor component, which adaptor component has a different thread size at an opposite end for engagement within a complementarily shaped bung hole type opening in the top of a drum. However, this pumping adaptor arrangement is neither intended nor suitable for use with a pour spout.
On the other hand, while dual-cap type closures, which are provided with retractable pour spouts, are known for commercial-type small capacity (1 to 21/2 gallon) portable gas cans from U.S. Pat. No. 3,372,846 and commonly assigned, pending U.S. application Ser. No. 259,165, filed Apr. 30, 1981, such have not, heretofore, been utilized in connection with military fuel storage containers, nor have they been designed for use as an adaptor for pumping purposes.